Why I’m not working today

I'm not working today. I didn't work yesterday. Well, sort of.

You see, several months ago I blocked out yesterday and today so I could "not work"...in my practice, that is. In actuality I AM working, but I'm working ON my business instead of IN it!

I know you've heard about this before, but have you actually ever done it? If not, you're really missing out on a KEY to major growth.

Trust me, any perceived "lost revenue" from not "doing dentistry" during these two days will be MORE than made up for by the results that come from what I accomplish AWAY from the practice!

So, what am I doing today? Wanna peek behind the curtain?
Here's a partial list:

STRATEGY: I'm mapping out my end-of-year strategy for 2008. This includes what aspects of the practice I want to focus on and grow.

Right now I'm zooming in on sleep apnea treatment, sedation dentistry, comprehensive restorative dentistry, and periodontal disease therapy. With elective dentistry on the decline over the past several months, I've shifted my emphasis to more "need based" services than "want based" services.

That doesn't mean I've stopped letting the world know about elective cosmetic dentistry. NEVER stop completely! I've just rearranged the order of my marketing mix. Things change very quickly, and it's critical to be NIMBLE with strategic decisions.

MARKETING: Although I'm always thinking about marketing, today I'm putting projects on the calendar. [WARNING: this aspect of your practice is the most variable, and you should always be adjusting as necessary.]

INTERNAL: The overwhelming success of my recent "Freedom Promotion" (July 4th) has actually packed my schedule through August and into early September. The entire campaign was sent in one step via Send Out Cards (www.SendOutCards.com/fordentists). My projected return, counting all scheduled appointments with SIGNED financials, is $18,752 from $545 spent...or a whopping 3404% ROI!! Cool.

So...my next move will most likely be right around Labor Day. I'm anticipating a "Back To School, Back To Work" promotion, which ties in nicely with what's on everyone's minds at that time.

From there I'll begin my "End Of Year Insurance" campaign, which should not be missed by ANY dental practice...even if you DON'T accept insurance assignment. Just because you may not doesn't mean your patients don't still want to use it up!

Also, I've set the date for my 4th Annual Patient Appreciation Event in October. Final arrangements will be made from there, including the multi-pronged invitation campaign consisting of postcards, email, and voice blast to my patients. Our goal this year is 350 attendees, up from about 230 last year.

Lastly, I'm working on a few additional projects, including our new Patient Rewards Program (more on that later!), my newest referral initiatives, and a resurrection of our monthly patient newsletter, including a multi-format approach! Other than that, not much going on!

EXTERNAL: I'm going over my current direct response print ads to see what changes I want to make, and if I want to expand into other media. You should always be looking for new "vehicles" to carry your
marketing messages.

Next month I'm beginning a new DIRECT MAIL campaign utilizing a proprietary system I'll be revealing later this year. I can't say much about it now...but I can say that I'm VERY excited! I've invested a TON of money in the technology, and within a few months you'll be able to take advantage of it for pennies on the dollar! I'll keep you posted.

I'm TESTING other media that until now has been virtually UNTAPPED by dentists! In some arenas it's still the "Wild Wild West", and there are patients to be had...and money to be made...using entirely NEW marketing strategies. As usual, once these approaches are "ready for prime time", my Dental Insiders Alliance members will be the FIRST to know, and will save the most. If you're not yet a member, take advantage of my 2 Months Free 'Test Drive' here:
www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive. If you're only on this list, you'll still be ahead of the curve.

[NOTICE that I'm spending more time and energy now on INTERNAL marketing. During slower, more uncertain times, external marketing is costlier and more difficult. My response is twofold. First, I turn more internally than usual. Second, I RAMP UP my external campaigns. Always TRACK your results, and keep ALL "break even" or better campaigns going!! (More on that tomorrow.)

CE: I've already taken the majority of my CE for the year. But I have an in-office hygiene seminar to block out for 2 1/2 days, probably in November. Since the end of year is especially busy, careful planning of these days is a must. You'll already be missing enough days for the Holiday Season, so you want the working days to be maximally productive.

Miscellaneous: This and that, stuff I seem to never get to...it's gotten to yesterday and today.

OK...now do you see why these days are SOOOO important? I hope so.

Later today, while it's still on your mind, take a good look at your office schedule. Pick 1-2 "normal" working days and BLOCK them out. Give your team a list of "catch up" tasks to accomplish, or at the very least get a fill-in dentist to check hygiene.

Get AWAY from your office one every 3 months MINIMUM...and work ON it. Just like anything that receives regular maintenance, you'll enjoy better performance EVERY DAY!

All my best,
Chris

PS: Don't forget the links:

www.SendOutCards.com/fordentists (Send Out Cards)

www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive (DIA membership)